Ordway's Canoe Swamped Striking Rock at Island

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:36 +0000

N. W. we Set out as usal and proceeded on the current rapid,
about noon we came to a bad rockey rapid where 2 canoes ran fast
on a rock but we got off without Injury. Small Island on the Lard
Side of the rapids we halted just below to dine, then proceeded
on about 8 miles then came to another bad rapid at the head of an
Island, the canoe I had charge of ran fast on a rock in the middle
of the river and turned [word illegible] the rock, we attempeted
to git hir off but the waves dashed over hir So that She filled
with water, we held hir untill one of the other canoes was un-
loaded and came to our assistance considerable of the baggage
washed overboard, but the most of it was taken up below when
the canoe got lightned She went of[f] of a sudden & left myself
and three more standing on the rock half leg deep in the rapid
water, untill a canoe came to our assistance, we got the most of
the baggage to Shore two mens bedding lost one tommahawk,
and some other Small articles a Small copper kittle &C. we
Camped on an Island Stard Side at an old fishery where the na-
tives had dryed Sammon burryed their wood covred over it. we
1 The camp was in Whitman County just below the mouth of Alkali Flat
Creek and at the head of Texas Rapids.
I”u canon Creek, in Columbia County, was passed on the left and Palouse
River, OB the boundary between Whitman and Franklin counties on the right.
The latter stream is much the larger and more important of the two. The
camp was in franklin County, thirteen miles below the mouth of Palouse River.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 299
took some for our use &C.1 one of the men killed 8 ducks the
country continues barron and broken in places &C.

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Ordway's Canoe Swamped Striking Rock at Island